Overview
- Ravindra Jadeja led India’s spin assault with 4 for 29, supported by Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, to leave South Africa seven down by stumps on Day 2.
- India were earlier bowled out for 189 after South Africa’s 159, with Simon Harmer’s 4 for 30 and variable bounce keeping the match low-scoring.
- India captain Shubman Gill retired hurt on 4 after a sweep shot, was taken for scans, and spent the night in a Kolkata hospital with a neck spasm, putting his immediate availability in doubt.
- Bowling coach Morne Morkel said the pitch deteriorated unexpectedly quickly and suggested Gill’s neck issue may have resulted from a bad night’s sleep rather than workload.
- Former players including Harbhajan Singh condemned the Eden Gardens surface, as stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant’s on-field ploy—caught on the stump mic—helped Kuldeep remove Marco Jansen with KL Rahul taking a low catch.